Sunday afternoon at Salt River Fields, Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw did what he usually does to the Rockies. He shut them down. The left-hander threw five scoreless innings in a Cactus League game.AAron Ontiveroz, The Denver Post)

DODGERS 6, ROCKIES 4At Salt River Fields

Scottsdale, Ariz. — Here’s the most important thing to know about Sunday’s Cactus League game between the Rockies and the Los Angeles Dodgers: Rockies right-hander Jordan Lyles, who will likely be the club’s No. 3 or No. 4 starter, needed 55 pitches to struggle through 2 1/3 innings. Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw needed only 61 to get through his five scoreless innings.

“I guess that’s the good thing about spring training — you have these types of outings and it’s a lot easier to get over it, find the positive and move on,” Lyles said after getting rocked for four runs on five hits.

He pitched for the cycle, giving up a home run to Scott Van Slyke to lead off the second, and later served up a double to Cody Bellinger and a triple to Andre Ethier. To add to the misery index, Lyles walked Kershaw on four pitches in the second inning to load the bases and set up Joc Pederson’s two-run single.

Lyles fastball command, so sharp in his last outing, was AWOL on Sunday.

“I know what was wrong. I should have corrected it while I was out there during the (second) inning or when (I went) back out there for the third inning,” he said. “I’m just falling off, not staying toward home plate.”

Lyle’s outing began with a crisp first inning in which he set down the order and struck out Chase Utley on a gorgeous changeup.

Rockies shortstop prospect Trevor Story hit his third home run of spring training Saturday against the Brewers.(Rich Pilling, Getty Images)

BREWERS 7, ROCKIES 6At Maryvale Baseball Park

Phoenix — The Rockies’ starting shortstop job remains up for grabs, but Trevor Story is doing everything he can to claim the position as his own.

Story, the Rockies’ first-round pick in 2011, went 2-for-4 with two RBIs. He hit a solo home run in the Rockies’ three-run fourth inning, his third homer of spring. After Saturday afternoon’s game, he autographed the baseball from a fan who said he had tracked down the home run ball to center

Story, 23, has yet to make his big-league debut, but he’s battling Cristhian Adames for the starting job.

“The guys are doing well,” manager Walt Weiss said Saturday morning. “We are just going to let it play out. They have all shown up well. It’s not like I’m going to name a starter at that spot yet. We have some time.”

Right-hander Jon Gray pitched an uneven three innings, giving up two runs on four hits, walking two and striking out one. Gray has been working through camp on his new curveball, but he said he plans to ditch it, at least for now, in game situations.

”Until it’s good enough to where I can locate it and throw it where I want to, I’m not going to use it in the game,” Gray said. “But I’ll continue to work on it (in bullpens). If they want me to throw it, I’ll throw it. But if it’s in a tough situation where I’m not way ahead of the batter, then I’m going to shake to the slider. I was happy (with my performance).”

HITS

** Third baseman Nolan Arenado, who hit 42 homers and drove in 130 runs last season, continued his solid spring. He hit a scorching two-run homer to left off the Brewers’ Tyler Cravy in the fourth inning. It was the second home run of the spring for Arenado, who’s hitting .556 in the Catcus League.

** Outfield prospect Raimel Tapia continues to show off his speed and athleticism. He hit a triple into the right-field corner, turned on his jets and cruised into third base.

MISSES
** Lefty pitching prospect Tyler Anderson was scratched from his scheduled start because of a sore right oblique. The Rockies announced the change just before first pitch. The team’s top draft pick in 2011, has a 6.75 ERA in two Cactus League games. He missed last season because of a stress fracture in his left elbow suffered late in the 2014 season at Double-A Tulsa.

** Right-hander Brian Schlitter had a tough fourth inning, facing eight hitters and giving up three runs on four hits and a walk.

Scottsdale, Ariz. — Christian Bergman threw two perfect innings of relief Friday against Cleveland. He hasn’t been scored on in the Cactus League. He’s quietly sneaking into the Rockies rotation discussion.

Bergman will continue to be built up for longer-inning stints, Colorado manager Walt Weiss said. His spring success allows the Rockies a starting rotation safety measure if Tyler Chatwood isn’t ready for the opening-day roster after coming back from Tommy John surgery, or if another starter falters.

Scottsdale, Ariz. — Carlos Estevez’s long-shot bid for an opening-day spot in the Rockies’ bullpen took a hit Thursday after he allowed four hits and three runs in a rough ninth inning.

The Reds rallied late to win, knocking two doubles off Estevez. He recorded just two outs before Brock Huntzinger spelled him for the third out. Rafael Ynoa’s sacrifice fly to score Ryan Casteel in the bottom of the ninth wasn’t enough to rally the Rockies.

The Rockies bullpen to start the season likely will include LHP Jake McGee, RHP Jason Motte, RHP Chas Qualls, LHP Boone Logan and RHP Christian Bergman in long-relief. Justin Miller and Scott Oberg are the leading candidates among bubble arms.

That leaves one or two spots open. Estevez was likely battling against Miguel Castro and German Marquez among younger arms looking to break through. But Simon Castro, Gonzalez Germen and Sam Moll remain options.

Chris Rusin remains in starter’s mode after missing six days with an inflammed middle finger. But he’s out of minor-league options. So moving him to the pen would be a roundabout way of keeping him around. Which would alter the order.

HITS

** Nolan Arenado doubled off Reds starter Brandon Finnegan to raise his average to .500 and OPS to 1.221 in 16 at-bats. He also turned a mid-season looking double play behind Tyler Chatwood in the fourth. “He’s just really good,” manager Walt Weiss said, running out of ways to say it.

Chatwood struggled some in the first of two innings of work, allowing two hits and a run. But he rebounded in the second to go 1-2-3 with a strikeout. “I’m glad he finished on that good note,” Weiss said.

“Especially at this level, it was great to get that competition going,” Freeland said.

Both are likely headed for Triple-A Albuquerque to start the season. But both could figure into the Rockies rotation later in the year.

“They need to be built up as starting pitchers,” Weiss said. “There’s only so many innings and so many at-bats to go around.”

McMahon focused on third base in spring, his natural position, but he began an effort to learn first base — which may give him a quicker path to the majors, with Nolan Arenado holding down the hot corner.

Scottsdale, Ariz. — Johnny Cueto and his $130 million contract debuted Wednesday in a San Francisco Giants uniform, pitching in his first Cactus League game. Rockies right fielder Carlos Gonzalez didn’t get a long look.

“Can’t tell much. I only saw one pitch,” Gonzalez said.

Three batters into the game, Gonzalez pulled a 1-0 fastball from Cueto into a line drive home run. It was Gonzalez’s second home run of the spring. Cueto left in the second inning looking rusty after just four outs.

“Our message is, we can hit,” Gonzalez said. “There’s no doubt. We have good hitters. We’ll put runs on the board. If our pitchers get the job done, we’ll be in there. We’re going to give everybody a fight.”

Cueto’s signing in San Francisco in December was the Giants swing at keeping pace with the arms race in the National League West, which includes the offseason signings of Zach Greinke and Shelby Miller in Arizona, Kenta Maeda in Los Angeles and Jeff Samardzija in San Francisco.

Rockies starting pitcher Jordan Lyles throws during the second inning of a spring training game against the Kansas City Royals in Surprise, Ariz., on Tuesday. (Charlie Riedel, The Associated Press)

ROYALS 3, ROCKIES 2At Surprise Stadium

Surprise, Ariz. — Right-hander Jordan Lyles used his legs to push through a Cactus League start Tuesday against the Kansas City Royals. He’s a big guy — a 6-foot-4, 215-pound former college football receiver. And he should, in balance, find power pushing off from the rubber with his lower half.

Some tweaks to his delivery paid off. Lyles squeezed out 95-mph fastballs in his three innings of road work against the Royals. He adjusted his delivery to drum up more torque in his windup, letting his arm keep up with his front step.

“Just getting downhill a little more, not leaking, not falling toward the plate,” Lyles said. “So I can use as much power as I can.”

The changes are paying off. His one blight was giving up a centerfield home run to Paulo Orlando after getting ahead 0-2 in the at-bat. But Lyles allowed just two hits, struck out two and walked one in his three innings.

DJ Lemahieu put in enough groundball work through three innings Monday to last him two spring trainings. The Rockies’ second baseman assited on five put-outs, including four diving stops.

“He made like four web gems in the first few innings,” manager Walt Weiss said.

LeMahieu’s slide through the grass in the second to put out Miguel Montero drew a large applause from the 7,913 at Salt River Fields.

“The ball was just finding me,” said LeMahieu, who played six innings. “I think I had one ball hit to me all spring last year.”

He also doubled on a line drive to left field in the fifth that scored Cristhian Adames as the Rockies beat the Cubs, 4-2. His grass- and dirt-stained pants looked like the game matterd.

“It’s good to get a read on some balls at game speed,” he said.

HITS

Left-hander Tyler Anderson, likely headed for Triple-A to start the season, struck out three and allowed just one hit in two impressive innings. He was helped by LeMahieu’s diving stop on a shift up the middle, after Anderson was nearly hit by a line drive.

“I turned around and was like, ‘That’s an out? Are you kidding me?’ That guy’s great,” Anderson said of LeMahieu’s stop.

Anderson squated to duck Dexter Fowler’s comebacker, then fell over in a backward sommersault. “That hasn’t happend to me in awhile,” he said. “That was just all un-athletic, is what that was.”

Goodyear, Ariz. — Christian Bergman, with his long hair and quiet cool, continued to confidently breeze through spring training Sunday.

In his first Cactus League appearance of 2016, a scoreless two-inning start against the Cincinnati Reds, Bergman zipped through eight batters, allowing just one hit and one walk. He went 1-2-3 in the first against Jake Cave, Ivan De Jesus Jr. and Eugenio Suarez, on two flyouts and a groundout to second.

He walked Tyler Holt in the second and allowed only an infield single on a grounder to shortstop. Daniel Descalso back-handed the ball well and threw to first, but he short-hopped Mark Reynolds who missed a scoop.

Scottsdale, Ariz. — Rockies left-hander Yohan Flande turned in the best pitching performance of the young spring schedule Saturday, tossing two perfect innings in Colorado’s 9-5 victory over San Diego at Salt River Fields.

Flande is on a minor-league deal with the Rockies, and his odds of making the opening-day roster are long. But he’s making a decision more difficult after the Rockies designated him for assignment after last season.

“I got taken off the roster, but I didn’t let it bother me. I knew I wanted to be here,” said Flande, 30, who’s pitched two seasons in the majors. “I’m thankful to the organization that’s given me an opportunity. Hopefully I can help them win a championship.”

Mesa, Ariz. — A 20-minute bus ride to Hohokam Stadium led to a long afternoon Friday for the Rockies in a blowout loss to the Oakland Athletics. They took mostly minor-leaguers on the road and it showed.

Colorado’s first Cactus League look at right-hander Shane Carle and several minor-league pitchers led to ugly outings. Carle came to the Rockies in 2014 in a quiet trade from Pittsburgh for reliever Rob Scahill. The Rockies like his quiet calm.

Rockies shorstop prospect Trevor Story digs in before hitting a three-run homer Thursday afternoon against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Salt l River Fields.( Shelly Bolt, Special to The Denver Post )

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Trevor Story, the Rockies’ talented 23-year-old shortstop prospect, continues to state his case that he’s ready for the big leagues.

Story blasted a three-run, 442-foot homer in the third inning Thursday against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Salt River Fields. The Rockies beats Arizona 6-5.

Story’s towering drive off of Arizona’s Zack Godley landed in the cactus-and-rock garden high above the 410-sign on the center-field wall. Story hit an 0-2 cutter.

With Jose Reyes out for an indefinite time as Major League Baseball investigates allegations of domestic violence, Story has a chance to break camp as Colorado’s starting shortstop.

The Rockies won the game in the ninth when Rafael Yona walked, advance to third on David Dahl’s single and scored on a wild pitch by Arizona reliever Jose Cisnero.

HITS
* Carlos Gonzalez hit his first homer of spring, a 381-foot solo shot to right field in the fifth.

* Dahl, the highly prized outfield prospect, hit an RBI double to score Mike Tauchman in the seventh inning to give the Rockies a temporary 5-4 lead. Dahl then added his single in the ninth and stole a base.

MISSES
* Starter Jordan Lyles, working on his sinker and curveball, was not very effective. He gave up two runs on three hits in his two innings.

“I was working on some things, true, but I wasn’t happy with my results,” he said. “A run is a run. I’m sure I’ll look at it differently tomorrow, but I’m not real happy right now.”

Lyles, who missed most of the past two seasons with injuries, is expected to be part of the starting rotation.

* Right-hander Eddie Butler, coming back from a tough 2015 season, threw the ball loose and easy — his fastball hit 98 mph — but he got behind in some counts and that cost him. Butler allowed two runs on four hits over his two innings, the big blow a two-run double to Rickie Weeks on a 2-0 count.

UP NEXT
The Rockies (1-1) travel to Mesa to play the Oakland A’s (0-1) at Hohokam Stadium, 1:05 p.m. (no TV, no radio)

Rockies right-hander Jon Gray showed off an impressive curevball in his 2016 Cactus League debut on Wednesday.(Christian Petersen, Getty Images)

Scottsdale, Ariz. — The Rockies’ first Cactus League game of 2016 showcased the promise of right-hander Jon Gray, hinted at trouble for lefty Tyler Matzek and showed the rust on lefty Tyler Anderson.

The Rockies 6-3 to the Arizona Diamondbacks Wednesday at Salt River Fields as the D-Backs roasted Colorado pitching for 13 hits, including two home runs.

Gray mixed in his new, big, breaking curveball with a 94-97 mph fastball over two scoreless innings. He allowed two hits and walked one. By no means was he dominant, but he was clearly pleased with his performance. His best pitch of the game was a 78 mph curve he used to fan Arizona’s Brandon Drury in the second inning.

“I knew (the curve) was something I wanted to work on early,” Gray said. “It came as a surprise to me that I threw that many. I thought I would throw three or four, but I threw more than that. I’m glad I did, because it’s something I can take with me into the next bullpen.”

Catcher Nick Hundley was the one calling for the curveballs. Gray ended up throwing seven of them.Read more…

We have talked about this project for a while and are excited to introduce a new addition to our Rockies coverage this season: the On The Rox Podcast.

Introducing the new On The Rox podcast from The Denver Post.

The idea behind the new podcast is to offer more in-depth Rockies coverage and conversations from the people who cover the team the closest: The Denver Post’s Rockies beat writers Nick Groke and Patrick Saunders.

In the pilot episode of The Denver Post’s new Colorado Rockies podcast, Nick Groke and Patrick Saunders discuss major story lines early in spring training from Salt River Fields — aka “Camp Bushwood,” the Rockies’ plush country club.

Troy Tulowitzki’s comments this spring riled up the Rockies, so Nick and Patrick rehash the bizarre night at Wrigley Field when Tulo was dealt to the Toronto Blue Jays. They also talk about GM Jeff Bridich’s power-arm plan and whether it will be moot without an upgrade in the starting rotation.

Which pitcher has been the talk of Scottsdale so far?

And was the Corey Dickerson-for-Jake McGee trade the worst offseason move in all of baseball?

Rockies third baseman Nolan Arenado launches a first- inning grand slam, his 40th home run of the season, during a game at Coors Field on September 26, 2015 . (Dustin Bradford, Getty Images)

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — ROOT Sports will once again televise the Rockies season, beginning with a March 14 spring training game against the Seattle Mariners in Peoria.

All told, ROOT will televise six spring training games and 150 regular-season games.

Here is the complete press release from ROOT Sports:

DENVER — The Colorado Rockies and ROOT SPORTS™ announced today the network’s 2016 Colorado Rockies telecast schedule. The network will air 150 Rockies regular season games and six Spring Training games. Coverage begins March 14 with a matchup between the Rockies and Mariners in Peoria, Arizona.

ROOT SPORTS’ regular season coverage begins with the season-opener on Monday, April 4, featuring a special one-hour pregame show in Arizona before the Rockies face the Diamondbacks. First pitch is at 7:40 p.m. MT. The Rockies will open at Coors Field against the Padres on Friday, April 8, with pregame coverage beginning at 1 p.m. MT.

Troy Tulowitzki and Nolan Arenado talk on the field before the start of last year’s All-Star Game at the Great American Ball Park on July 14, 2015 in Cincinnati. (Elsa, Getty Images)

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Rockies star third baseman Nolan Arenado just shakes his head when he hears about the ongoing feud between former teammate Troy Tulowitzki and general manager Jeff Bridich.

But Arenado takes exception to Tulo’s comments in Monday’s story in USA Today in which Tulo criticizes the “country club” atmosphere at the Rockies’ opulent training complex at Salt River Fields.

“I’ve told you that Tulo is my boy, and he still is my friend,” Arenado said. “But obviously, Tulo has some anger still. I don’t know if it’s the right way to be saying it in the media, but that’s his business and that’s how he’s handling it.

Tulowitzki, who concedes it was a culture shock to his system when he was traded, never could have imagined that he’d be in Florida this spring, tossing a football with reigning American League MVP Josh Donaldson in the Blue Jays’ antiquated spring-training facility. The Blue Jays’ digs are the last of the old relics in spring training, with players boarding buses to travel to the practice fields 3 ½ miles away.

Considering he was leaving behind the Rockies’ 185,000 square-foot spring training facility in Scottsdale, Ariz., including a 1,000 square-foot weight room, it’s like going from a Beverly Hills mansion to a Death Valley trailer park.

All in the eyes of the beholder, apparently.

“I like this place a lot better than Arizona,’’ Tulowitzki said. “That place was like a country club. Guys got comfortable because it was so nice.

“This place has a better feel. It reminds you of spring training. The way it’s supposed to be.’’

Rockies right-handed pitching prospect German Marquez, part of the trade with Tampa Bay for outfielder Corey Dickerson, has been impressive early in camp.(Photo courtesy the Colorado Rockies)

Scottsdale, Ariz. — When Ryan Spilborghs talks baseball, I listen.

Spilly, the former Rockies outfielder and now an analyst for Root Sports, is jazzed about a number of young pitchers in spring training, none more so than right-handed starter German Marquez.

“He throws a 95 mph fastball with more ease than anybody I have ever seen,” Spilly told me.

German Marquez

I’ve only watched Marquez pitch about half a bullpen session, but I was impressed by the movement of his pitches, and by the fluid grace with which he throws. Rockies hitters who have faced Marquis in live BP have come away shaking their heads at his stuff.

Zach Wilson, the Rockies’ farm director, reiterated what Spilly told me, adding that Marquez is one of the most underrated pitching prospects in the game.

Marquez, you might recall, was part of the Corey Dickerson trade with Tampa Bay. The high-profile acquisition was reliever Jake McGee, but Marquez, at least right now, certainly looks like more than just an add on.

Marquez, who turned 21 last week, currently has a three-pitch arsenal: A 92-95 mph fastball with movement, a curveball and a changeup that remains a work in progress.

Prior to the trade, the Rays were high on enough on the right-hander that they added him to their 40-man roster in November to protect him from the Rule 5 Draft. Marquez posted a 3.56 ERA in 139 innings at High-A this past season. He’ll likely begin this season at Double-A Hartford.

Tampa Bay signed Marquez in July 2011 as a 16-year-old out of San Felix, Venezuela. Marquez was the Rays’ 25th-best prospect, according to MiLB.com.

Colorado cut the 40-year-old right-hander late last season after he was designated for assignment in August. Betancourt had held open a thin hope of returning to the major leagues. He returned last year from Tommy John surgery, and pitched well early before struggling in the later months. With spring training now in full swing, he shut the door on playing again.

Patrick, a third-generation Colorado native, is back for his second stint covering the Rockies. He first covered the team from 2005-2009, helping chronicle “Rocktober” in 2007 and also following the team’s playoff run in 2009.

Nick Groke has worked at The Denver Post since 1997, as a sports reporter, city reporter, entertainment writer and digital editor and producer, among other newsroom posts. He also writes regularly about boxing, soccer, MMA and NASCAR.